Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) MAP Grant (Monetary Award Program)
Postsecondary institutions approved to award MAP grants are those that offer a program of collegiate study directly applicable toward the attainment of an associate or baccalaureate degree, or a program yielding a certificate, diploma, or associate degree in health education. For eligible institutions with campuses in multiple states, only campuses located in Illinois are eligible to award MAP grants.
Students must be residents of Illinois. Eligibility is based on State Requirements. Click here for more information about Map Grant eligibility.
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Eligibility
To be eligible, you must:
- be a U.S. citizen or an eligible noncitizen or meet the “undocumented student” criteria of the RISE Act
- be an Illinois resident (if you are a dependent, the parent whose information is used on the FAFSA must be an Illinois resident)
- demonstrate financial need
- be enrolled a minimum of 3 hours per term at an approved Illinois college, in a degree or certificate program (includes credit bearing certificate programs that are offered at public institutions and are less than one academic year in length)
- maintain satisfactory academic progress as determined by your college
- not be in default on any student loan, nor owe a refund on any state or federal grant (if you are in default, you may re-establish your MAP eligibility).
- not have received a bachelor's degree
- not have used the equivalent of 135 MAP Paid Credit Hours* or more (MAP Paid Credit Hours usage is determined by your enrollment status each term)
- not be incarcerated
*Tracking Eligibility: Eligibility for a MAP grant is tracked by MAP Paid Credit Hours, which are the equivalent number of semester credit hours of MAP benefits paid on your behalf. If you are attending a quarter school, your quarter credit hours will be converted to semester MAP Paid Credit Hours. Please contact your financial aid advisor if you have questions regarding the quarter school conversion.
How to Apply
FAFSA filing required - University preferred FAFSA filing deadline is Dec 1. The official MAP Grant deadline is determined by the State of Illinois. File the FAFSA as soon as possible after Oct 1.
Your eligibility for the MAP grant will be automatically determined if the approved Illinois college at which you plan to use the award is listed on your FAFSA or, for some students, on the Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid (Alternative Application).
